Firearm



March 30 1926.

C. C. LOOMIS FIREARM Filed Sept. 11, 1924 Patented Mar. 30, 1926.

n UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CRAWFORD C. LOOMIS, OF ILION, NEW YAORK, .ASSIGNOR T0 REMINGTON ARMS COM- IPANY, lNC., A. CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE.

FIREARM.

Application led September 11, 1924. Serial No. 737,023.

To all lwhom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CRAWFORD C. Looiviis, a citizen of United States, residing at Ilion, county of Herkimer', State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Firearms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to firearms and is particularly adapted for use on firearms of the type shown in the Patents 719,955, Feb. 3, 1903 and 789,755 May ic, 1905, to John D. Pedersen. These patents disclose a firearm `of the magazine type, particularly adapted to accommodate shot shells. Such shells or cartridges are loaded into a tubular magazine from the rear end thereof, and are retained therein by a stop or lug consisting of a stiff spring attached to the carrien As the forearm and action bar are retracted in the operation of loading the gun, the carrier is rotated to release the rearmost cartridge from the stop, and said cartridge then slides rearwardly onto a suitably constructed part of the carrier. On the forward movement of the action bar the carrier is usually rotated to elevate the cartridge into alignment with the chamber, and the stop lug is thereby brought into position to engage the base of the next cartridge. The lifted cartridge is pushed into the chamber by the breech block. The firing pin and cooking head were retracted on the rearward movement of the action bar, and as the action bar and breech block reach their final forward positions the action bar is locked against another rearward movement until the hammer has moved forward to fire the shell in the chamber.

In this gun as hitherto constructed, the action bar lock has been released simply by the forward movement of the hammer, whether or not the shell in the chamber is fired. Now it sometimes happens that the primer mixture and the powder will be ignited by the blow of the hammer, but the powder will burn abnormally slowly, and a very appreciable time will elapse before the powder gas develops sufficient pressure to eXpel the shot or bullet. Such a shell or cartridge is known as a hang fire. The shooter, holding the gun against his shoulder partly by means of the forearm, naturally quickly draws the forearm and action bar' rearwardly the instant the action bar lockis released. If the shell hangs fire it may explode with the breech partly or wholly open, or even when entirely removed from the gun, with consequent serious injury to the shooter or the gun or both.

One object of my invention ,is to provide anaction bar lock which for its release rcquires not only the forward or firing mover ment of the hammer, but the tiring of the shell in the chamber, and the subsequent recoil of the gun. A further object of the invention is to improve the construction of the action bar locking mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide an action bar locking pin having a rectilinear movement in a guide way in the breech block. Vitl'i these and other objects in view my invention consists in the novel combinations and arrangement ofy parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the drawings, in which:

Fig. l. is a vertical longitudinal section thru the receiver of a firearm having my invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2,2 of Fig. 1, showing the action bar held by the action bar locking devices.

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2, but showing the action bar locking devices in ineffective position,

Fig. 4 is a perspective of the action bar locking mechanism.

The receiver 10 which encloses the main parts of the operating mechanism, has an opening 11 at the bottom to permit of loading and ejecting the shells. The breech block 12 when at thc limit of its forward movement engages a recoil shoulder 123 on the receiver frame, locking the breech block against rearward movement until released from said shoulder. The breech block is recessed to receive a firing pin 14, inserted therein from the rear, and terminating at its rear end in a cooking head 15 comprising a shoulder 16 adapted to be engaged by a sear 17, which is held in engagement with shoulder 16 by the usual sear spring. The sear comprises a laterally extending foot 19 which extends under the forward end of the trigger 20.

The breech block is 'adapted to be reciprocated by an action bar 21 connected at its forward endwith the usual forearm 211. The action bar, which is reciprocated in a fill longitudinal guiding recess 212 in the re.- ceiver wall, comprises a laterally extending lug 22 which engages a slot or cam groove 23 in the breech block. When the action is closed thebreech block is in' the position shown in Fig. 1, the upper rear end thereof being in engagement with, the recoil shoulder 13 and the action bar lug resting at ,the lower end of the cam slot 23. Vhen the action bar is retracted the action bar lug 22 engages the cam face 231 and lowers the rear endof the breech block to, clear the recoil shoulder 13, the vbreech block turning on truiinions 232 on the receiver', which are received in half journals formed in the front end of the breech block. lhen the action bar lug 22 reaches the rearward part of the cam slot 23 the breech block is clear of the recoil shoulder and moves rearwardly with the action bar.

As-vhereinbefore pointed out, it is necessary to lock lthe action bar and breech block against retraction until thegun is fired.'

For this purpose the action bar lug 22 comprises a notch 24 adapted to receive the end of a locking pin 25 guided for rectilinear movement in a transverse hole in the breech block. ,The head of the pin` 25 comprises a lateral projection 27 which is received in a recess 28 in the breech block and prevents the pin Afrom turning. Opposite the projection 27 on pin 25 is a slot 29 adapted to receive the end of a locking pin operating lever 30, pivoted in the breech block at 31. The rear end of lever30 is turned inwardly, at the rear of the sear 17 and comprises a part 32 of reduced thickness, adapted to be engaged by a depending and laterally eX- tending foot 321 onl the scar, whereby the sear is locked against movement to firing pin releasing position unless the action bar lock is effective. A heat 33 pivoted to the end of lever 30 is pressed toward a vertical flange 34 on the cooking head 15 `by a spring 35 and by engagement with said flangemoves the action bar lock pin 25 to effective position. A finger button 36 pressed inward by a spring 37 overlies the lever`30 at a point between the pivot 31 and the cocking head engaging end of said lever, and extends thru the receiver wall. Spring 35 is stiffer than spring 37 and normally holds the action bar locking pin in effective position, but the actio'n bar may be manually released by pressing button 36 inward.

It is important for thel purpose of preventing injury to the shooter or the gun from the explosionv of a hang fire shell after the breech has been partly or fully opened that the action bar belocked, Vnot only until the firing pin has moved forward but until the shell is actually discharged. To this' end the engagement between the action bar 21 and the lock pin 25' is such that the lock pin Will remain in engagement with the action bar until the gun recoils on firing, or until the shooter moves the action bar slightly forward. The locking face 251 of lock pin 25 is slightly undercut as clearly shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, andl the'locking face 221 of the action bar lug is similarly shaped, so that a short forward movement of the action bar relative to the lock pin is necessary to disengage the two. The shooter normally holds the gun against his shoulder by pulling rearwardly on the forearm and action bar, thus a secure engagementof the pin with the action bar is insured.V If the trigger Vis pulled with no shell in the chamber the action bar will remain locked until the rearward draft thereon is momentarily relieved. `When a shell is. fired the recoilV imparts a sharp backward movement to the gun itself, and the lock is disengaged without the user consciously releasing the action bar. rlhe danger of opening the breech before a hang fire shell has fired, is thus eliminate-d, since there will be no recoil until the shell actually lires, and a special and unusual manual operation is necessary to. re?

lease the lock in the absence of' a recoil.

It is manifestly of importance that thel pin 25move transversely in a straight line,V

hence this pin is made separately from its operating lever 30, and a tongue and slot connection between them is provided, in

place of the integral lever and vlocking pin shown Vin the Pedersen Patent 789,755, above mentioned.

The operation 'of the mechanism is as follows: Assume that the gun is loadedand cocked, and the breech closed. Locking pin 25 stands in the path of lug 22 preventing the rearward movement of the Aaction bar 21,`

relative to the breech block, Vwhich is necessary to lower the breech block vfrom engage-v ment withr the recoil shoulder 13. The rear end of lever 30 occupies a slot in the receiver,

so that button 36 is pushed outward, the sear is free from the locking part 32 of lever 30,`

and the parts are 'so held by theenga'gement of pivoted member 33 with the flange 34 on the cocking head 15.

If now the piece is fired, the flange 34 moves forward out of the path of pivoted member 33, and ,therecoil of the gun disengages the locking face 251froin thel facel 221 on the action bar lug@ The lever 30, thus released, iswrocked aboutits pivot 31 by spring l37, withdrawing pin 25 from the path of action bar lug 22. `As the action bar is drawn back the breech block moves downward and rearward, the cooking head is drawn back, and the flange -34- encounters the pivoted head 33 on lever 30, but lever 30 is` prevented from swinging on its pivotv `by the receiver wall, until near the Aend `of the rearward movement of the breech block,V when therear end of lever 30 enter'sa groovein the receiver wall, and the sea'r 17 is moved to cooking head engaging position by its spring 18.

On the forward movement of the breech block the rear en-d of lever 30 is again moved inward by engagement with the receiver wall, and ledge 32 passes under the foot 171, preventing the cooking head disengaging movement of the sear until the breech is fully closed and locked. At the end of the forward movement of the action bar, the breech being closed, as the breech block is moving upwardly, its rear end in contact with the locking shoulder 13,- lever 30 is moved opposite a groove in the receiver wall and it moves outwardly into said groove, releasing the scar, pushing out the finger button 36, and locking the action bar. One cycle of the operation is now complete.

The invention is not to be considered as limited to the precise construction herein described and illustrated in the drawings, but is to be construed as covering all equivalent devices falling within the scope of the appended claims.

1. In a firearm comprising a reciprocating breech block and an action bar for operating said breech block, means eective to lock said action bar against retraction until it has moved slightly forward, said means comprising a pin adapted to slide in a transverse hole in said breech block, a slot near one end of said pin, a pivoted lever in engagement with said slot, and means for operating said lever.

2. In a firearm comprising a reciprocating breech block, an action bar for operating said breech block and a firing mechanism, means controlled in part by said firing mechanism for locking said action bar when the firing mechanism is in firing position, and means associated with said action bar and said locking mechanism for preventing the release of said action bar for retraction until the action bar has first moved forward relative to the locking mechanism.

3. In a firearm comprising a reciprocating breech block, and an action bar for operating said breech block; a firing pin comprising a cooking head mounted for reciprocation in said breech block, an action bar locking-mechanism effective to lock the action bar against retraction until it has moved slightly forward, said locking mechanism comprising a locking pin and a lever for operating said pin, a device associated with said lever adapted to engage a part of said cooking head when said headV is in retracted position, thereby maintaining said locking pin in locking engagement with said action bar.

4. In a firearm comprising a reciprocating breech block containing a firing pin and an action bar comprising interengaging members associated with said action bar and said breech block, said means being for operating said breech block, locking means for said action bar effective when the firing pin is retracted and requiring fo-r its release both the forward movement of the firing pin and a slight forward movement of the action bar from its lock engaging position.

5. In a firearm comprising a reciprocating breech block containing a firing pin and an action bar for operating said breech block, locking means for said action bar comprising a locking lug on said action bar and a locking pin movable transversely in said breech block, and adapted to engage said locking lug and to release said lug when retracted into said breech block, the engaging surfaces of said action bar lug and said locking pin being such that a slight forward movement of the action bar relative to the locking pin is necessary to release said pin for retract-ion into said breech block.

6. In a firearm comprising a reciprocating breech block containing a firing pin and an action bar for operating said breech block, looking means for said action bar comprising a locking lug on said action bar, a locking pin movable transversely in said breech block and adapted to engage said action bar locking lug, means for preventing rotation of said pin while permitting longitudinal movement thereof, an operating lever, a slot in said locking pin adapted to receive one end of said lever, and a spring pressed head pivoted to said lever and adapted to engage a part of said firing pin when said pin is retracted to firing position, whereby said lock pin is moved to locking position.

7. In a firearm comprising a reciprocating breech block containing a firing pin and an action bar forl operating said breech block, locking means for said action bar comprising a locking lug on said action bar, a looking pin movable transversely in said breech block and adapted to engage said action bar locking lug, means for preventing rotation of said pin while permitting longitudinal movement thereof, an operating lever, a slot in said locking pin adapted to receive one end of said lever, and a spring pressed head pivoted to said lever an adapted to engage a part of said firing pin when said pin is retracted to firing position, whereby said lock pin is moved to lookin position, and manual means for moving said lever to unlocking position when the firing pin is in retracted position.

CRAWFORD C. LOOMIS. 

